The star midcourter, who spent the past three seasons with Warrnambool and District league club Merrivale, is a big signing for the regenerating Eagles.

The Eagles, which won the 2013 A grade premiership, have lost dynamic midcourters Sophie Barr and Maddie Smedts, who have moved to Geelong for work opportunities, from the side that finished third last season.

But the club’s new coach Jody Roth yesterday said Carter’s return had given the Eagles a boost.

Carter has a long history with the Eagles, winning the Hampden league’s best and fairest award while at North in 2008 and 2011.

“It’s really good to have Elisha back at the club,” Roth said. “It’s very exciting. Obviously I’m new at North and I didn’t want to go outside the circle at the club, I wanted to draw from the juniors and we went over a list of our past players and contacted some we thought might be interested in coming back.”

Roth said the 31-year-old Carter was setting a high standard in pre-season training.

“Her work ethic is unbelievable,” she said.

“She is so fit. She gives 110 per cent at PT (personal training). She has a few years on the other girls but with age goes experience. She is very level-headed and very strong.

“I think she will give a lot of confidence to the other players. We are so relieved she has come back and wants to give it another crack at the top grade in the region.”

Roth predicted the Eagles would have a youthful line-up when the season opened in April. She is looking to young players like midcourter Laura Lafferty, Kate O’Meara, Brie Reichman, Jane McMeel and Sophie Chow to have important roles this season.

She said the even nature of her squad meant she wouldn’t have a set starting-seven players.

Fitness levels were up with players embracing weekly personal training sessions.